OnePlus 6 vs. Google Pixel 2 camera comparison: Which one is better?

When you look at the OnePlus 6’s price, the device is easy to like. At only $529, it’s hundreds of dollars cheaper than many of its competitors, with premium hardware that rivals the best. But there’s always been one area where OnePlus devices fall short: the camera. Does the OnePlus 6 change that?

Every aspect of OnePlus’s newest flagship is high-end, from the all-glass design to the powerful specs. Its camera has been improved over last year, too, with a dual arrangement that contains a 16MP main sensor (f/1.7) that’s 19 percent larger than last year. It also features optical image stabilization (OIS) and a 20MP secondary camera.

But to really put the camera to the test, it must challenge the best. Right now, there are some terrific mobile cameras on the market, from the iPhone X to the Huawei P20 Pro. But at the pinnacle is Google’s Pixel 2 12MP shooter—it still reigns after months of being on the market.

So, we walked around our office with both phones to take photos side-by-side.

As we said in our recent Pixel 2 versus P20 Pro comparison, we want you to chime in about which you think takes superior images. When peering through the gallery, it’s important to take note of the details. How does detail hold up? How is low light performance? Which is better at handling exposure?

Google has earned a reputation for its legendary machine learning, which helps the Pixel 2 take such fantastic images. In particular, the device features unbeatable HDR performance. And it’s capable of snapping beautiful portrait images with a single lens—most devices utilize a dual camera setup in order to achieve portrait mode effects.

The Pixel 2 is nearing the end of its lifecycle, but it’s still one of the best Android devices you can buy. The OnePlus 6, meanwhile, is about as modern as smartphones get—it has a notched display, all-glass design, up to 8GB of RAM, and a dual camera.

You’d think the OnePlus 6 would handily defeat the Pixel 2 because it’s much newer. But it isn’t so cut and dry. You can see how the two devices perform in the gallery below.